The abbreviated trial resulting from the “New European narcos” investigation ends with a substantial confirmation of the thesis of the anti-mafia prosecutor’s office. In the sentence pronounced by the Court of Cassation, all the appeals were rejected, except two, those of Fabio Cioni (lawyer Dario Bicchieri) and Simone Ficarra (lawyers Giacomo Iaria and Luigi Romeo) whose positions return on appeal only for the requantification of the sentence. For the rest, the judges made final the sentences of Massimo Antonini at 9 years and eight months, Girolamo Fazzari at 8 years and six months, Giuseppe Condello at 19 years and eight months, Mario Billi at 9 years, Antonio Campanella at 5 years and four months, Michele Condello at 4 years and eight months, Salvatore Cosoleto at 2 years, Domenico Ficarra at 3 years and six months, Emanuele Fonti at 12 years and four months, Domenico Pisano at 4 years, Letterio De Pasquale at 4 years and eight months, Domenico Iaropoli at 12 years and four months and Giacomo Previte at 16 years and two months.
There are several defendants judged in summary form by the Reggio Calabria preliminary hearing judge who had renounced their appeal. Among these Rocco Molè, sentenced to 20 years in the first instance, and Antonino Pesce, to 6 years and eight months. In fact, by virtue of the Cartabia law, defendants who renounce the appeal are entitled to a discount of one sixth on the first degree sentence.
The “New European narcos” investigation started with the discovery of 537 kilos of pure cocaine in the Sovereto district of Gioia Tauro. That morning of March 28, 2020, the men of the Reggio Calabria police station arrested Rocco Molè, 25-year-old son of the life-prisoner boss Girolamo “Mommo” Molè. In November 2021, 36 people were arrested, 31 in prison and 5 under house arrest.
“New European narcos” represents the development of the “Handover” operation, conducted by the flying squad under the directives of the anti-mafia prosecutor’s office, which on 21 April 2021 culminated in the arrest of 53 suspects, for various reasons, for mafia association, trafficking and sale of drugs. During the investigation against the Molè gang, investigators managed to seize numerous loads of cocaine, especially in the ports of Gioia Tauro and Livorno. According to the DDA, the port city gang had managed to ally itself with international drug cartels not only to buy large quantities of cocaine, but also for the subsequent recovery of the drug at sea and for marketing. In 2019, the presence in Italy of four Peruvians and a Colombian was discovered, hired and hosted in Gioia Tauro as chemists and three expert divers brought to the Plain for the recovery of the narcotic on the high seas, in order to reduce the risks associated with the arrival of drug loads in the port.